


Scavenging

by RunRabbitRun



Series: Conversations in the dark [3]
Category: 9 (2009)
Genre: Captivity, First Kiss, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Mental Disorder, Mentors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-23
Updated: 2011-10-09
Packaged: 2017-10-23 23:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunRabbitRun/pseuds/RunRabbitRun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dolls go out on a scavenging trip and find that they aren't as alone as they thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Be careful up there, 5! Good, now pull it tight… tighter than that, dear boy. Yes, just like that. Alright, now hold it for just a few seconds… And, done!” 2 clapped his hands together and grinned triumphantly. 5 gingerly climbed down from his perch on the top of the now completed Watchtower and stood by his mentor. For a minute they stood in silence, simply basking in the glow of a job well done. It had taken them nearly a month of planning and gathering, plus two more months of non-stop construction, but it was finally finished. They had just completed the rather precarious, final task of tying down the canvas canopy and were now free to start moving things up via the bucket-elevator. Just in time, too. The sun was setting, turning the world a bright, burnished orange. In his cheerful, accomplished mood, 5 thought their world looked almost pretty at that precise moment.

“Well, my lad,” said 2 at last, patting his apprentice on the back. “I’m proud of you! Your designs turned out to be a great success, I think.” 5 ducked his head with an embarrassed, silly grin.

“Well, you’ve taught me everything I know. I should be thanking you.”

“Not at all, 5, not at all! A teacher can blather on all day, but it’s up to the student to put the lessons into practice.” The master and the apprentice grinned at each other, finally feeling that the weeks of frustration and hard work was worth it.

“Ho, up there! Is it finished yet?” 5, even in his joy, flinched a little at the sound of 1’s voice calling up from the other end of the elevator shaft. 2 ambled over to the shaft and bellowed back down.

“Yes it finally is, you nosy old codger! Come and have a look!”

Even from all the way down in the throne room, 5 could here 1 sputter at 2’s teasing. Not for the first time 5 wished he could be more like his mentor; more feisty, more confidant, funnier, less easily intimidated... 2 really was something else entirely. 2 came back towards 5 and slung an arm around his shoulder. As 1 and the ever-present 8 emerged from the shaft in the bucket-elevator, 2 gave 5’s shoulder a reassuring little squeeze.

1 swept from the elevator and planted his feet in the center of the watchtower’s deck as if he owned the place, thumping his staff lightly on the ground. He observed 2 and 5’s handiwork and gave a grunt of approval.

“It is tolerable, I suppose.”

“Tolerable!” huffed 2 good-naturedly, but with a very slight, almost unnoticeable narrowing of the eyes. “Don’t be such a stick in the mud, 1! It’s damn good work and you know it.”

“Yes, indeed.” 1 said impassively, plucking at one of the taut ropes tying down the canopy. “It will serve our purpose well enough. I suppose the planning was your doing, 2?”

“A bit of it”, answered 2 blithely “But most of what you’re standing on right now is here thanks to 5’s very creative engineering.” The old inventor locked eyes with the leader, as if daring him to comment on 5’s work. For a few seconds the tension in the space increased exponentially before 1 gave in.

“Hmph, yes, well… Good work, both of you. Now, if you’ll excuse me-“ he turned regally and reentered the elevator where 8 stood waiting for him. After the duo had descended, 2 harrumphed and rolled his eyes.

“Ah, that old biddy. Doesn’t know a good thing when he sees it. Now,” he said, his mood switching right back to cheerful “What say you we head back down and get some well-deserved rest, eh 5? We can start moving things up here tomorrow.”

“Sounds good to me.” Said 5 quietly. He knew he shouldn’t let 1’s brusqueness get to him, but it was just so hard sometimes. 2 noticed his student’s melancholy and chucked him under the chin before going over to haul the elevator back up.

They rode down in comfortable silence, each planning his evening in his head. 5 figured 2 was going to turn in early (he was getting tired more easily these days), but 5 himself had other plans. He had 2 hold the elevator for him in the throne room and bid goodnight to his elder. As soon as 2 descended out of sight, 5 slumped in on himself, as if trying to make his figure as unnoticeable as possible. He hated doing this, but it was necessary if he wanted to follow through with his plan for the evening.

He crept out into the throne room. 1 was seated up on his dais, one of the maps 2 had drawn for him spread out on his lap. 8 was in his usual spot on the stack of bibles next to 1, grinding away at his scissor blade with a whetstone. 5 slowly and silently made his way along the wall to the shadowy alcove that was his destination. He didn’t make it very far, though, as his foot came down on a squeaky floorboard and the resulting ‘eek!’ sound grabbed the attention of 1 and 8. 1 glared at 5 and 8 deliberately set down the scissor blade in favor of sharpening his enormous kitchen knife, his fierce eyes on 5 the whole time.

“And just what do you think you’re doing up here?” drawled 1, his words dripping with condescension.

“I-I-I, uh, I just wanted to, uhm, v-visit 6. Just for a little while, I mean. I-“ 5 wrung his hands and listened to himself in growing chagrin as his mouth kept babbling even as his brain said “Shut up, shut up, shut up! If you annoy 1 he won’t let you see 6!” “I-if it’s okay with you, I want to, I mean I’d really like to show him the watchtower, I-“

“That’s enough.” Snapped 1. “Feel free to visit with the little lunatic, but stay quiet and don’t get him excited.”

“May I take him up to the watchtower?”

1 pondered for a moment, scratching his chin. “Tomorrow, you may. Perhaps. If you keep him quiet while you see him I will consider it.”

5 nodded and gave a furtive ‘yessir’ before he scampered off in the direction of the alcove, twitching slightly under the feel of 1’s and 8’s optics on him.  
As he ducked behind the thin gray curtain that half-shrouded the little corner in shadows, his optics dilated and he had to peer into the darkness to locate 6. There, tucked away near the back of the alcove, sitting on a threadbare pincushion, staring blankly at the wall, was 6.

“Hey, 6.” Said 5 softly, approaching 6 warily and placing a hand gently on his shoulder. 6 flinched at the contact and 5 drew his hand away quickly as if 6’s striped cloth had burned him.“H-how are you doing 6?” he asked lamely. He knew he had to try to talk to 6. The others (except for the twins who didn’t actually speak) only very rarely had anything to do with the striped ragdoll. 5 considered it partly his fault that 6 was being kept hidden away, so he made a point to visit 6 whenever he could. After all, if he hadn’t let 6 get away from him and cause all that trouble two and a half months ago, 6 would still be free to have his run of the cathedral.

“6?” he tried again when there was no answer to his question. “Are you doing okay?”

“Am stuck in a tower. Can’t go out, can’t draw. Big Brute pushes me, Tall Hat yells at me. How would you be?” 6 droned. His words were sharp, but there was no bite to them. 5 held back a sigh. There was really no talking to 6 when he was in a mood like this, but he had to try.

“I’m sorry you’re not doing too good-“ he started but was interrupted when 6 spun around on the pin cushion, the key he had taken to wearing around his neck clinking dully.

“Not doing to good? Doing bad. Very, very bad!” 6 said flatly. His optics suddenly squinted put and he dropped his head between his knees and grasped at his hair with his sharp fingers. His shoulders heaved and he started to sob, rocking back and forth “Hate it up here! Dreams are worse up here! Before they would float away, but it is too close in here! They get stuck in the roof and growl at me at night! Am lonely! Haven’t slept!”

Throughout 6’s tirade, 5 had been frozen by the younger doll’s grief. Now he forced himself to walk forward, to drop to his knees and take 6’s hands into his own. He felt about ready to break down himself, for to see 6 so tortured made him feel achy and horrid all through his joints and his stitches. The utter… wrongness of it all, of poor 6 being locked away all by himself, of 6 feeling so wretched made him both sad and… furious. Absolutely burning with rage. How could 1 be so cruel? It was one thing to pick on 5, who was used to it and could move on, but 6 didn’t have the same defense mechanisms 5 had. He didn’t work the same way everyone else did.

“Miss you, miss you, miss you, and miss you.” 6 clenched 5’s hands and chanted sadly under his breath. True to his impulsive style, the younger creature leaned forward and allowed himself to tumble into 5’s lap. 5 was startled but chose to just go with it, and wrapped his arms around 6. He held the shaking creature until 6 quieted and took to fiddling with 5’s buttons. 5 laughed a little (his buttonholes were ticklish) and tousled 6’s hair. 6 gave a weak smile and slithered out of

5’s arms. He stood up a little ways away, wringing his hands around his key, making small indecisive noises.

“If I showed you something that was true but didn’t appear true but really was would you believe me?” he said suddenly.

“Well” 5 said, taking a second to work out what exactly 6 had said “I think you generally tell the truth, so yeah, I guess I would.”

“But what if what I showed you was wrong. Not wrong as in not correct but wrong as in not right?”

“You mean something bad?”

“Yes. Very bad.”

“Oh. I, uh… 6, did something bad happen to you?” 5 asked cautiously. 6 only gave him an eerie smile.

“Not yet.” He murmured. “Come and see.” And with that he scuttled farther back into the darkness. 5 followed warily. He picked his way over various and sundry objects, some of which he could indentify (a pile of small keys here, an empty inkwell there) and others that were totally unknowable in the dark of 6’s hidey-hole.  
Then he locked eyes with The Beast and his mechanical heart leapt into his voice box.

The vision was so horrifying, so totally unexpected, that for a few heart-stopping moments, 5 didn’t realize that he was only looking a picture. All he could see was fangs and claws several inches long, eyes wide and unseeing and yet hellish; eyes of the malicious dead. It was 6 who shattered the silence and thankfully brought 5 back to reality.

6 tapped the picture, scrawled on a piece of pale slate, and muttered. “Wrong, wrong, wrong. It is all wrong. Perverted. Perversion. Predatory. Yes, it comes from our deranged brother who is dead now. Or maybe sleeping. Not sure. But it comes in light and in the dark. It’s looking, hunting, sleuthing for us…”

5 gulped audibly. “6, are you saying this thing is real?”

“Yes!” hissed 6. “Yes, real as rocks, real as bones. It’s coming!” 6 clambered over an overturned candle stump and clasped 5’s hands in his own. “We must hide deeper! It can’t be killed, not yet! Please, please, please say you believe me!”

5 looked from 6’s wide optics, to the ferocious painted Beast, and back to 6. The younger doll was shaking and clenching his jaw.

“6…” 5 started, forcing the words to come through “What you dream isn’t real. It’s just… leftover stuff from the War. It’s scary, I know, but it’s all in your head.”

“But, but…” 6’s mouth twisted downward and his eyes fell. “You said you believe me…”

“It’s not that I think you’re lying or anything! I just think you have a bad dream and you’re… confused. That’s all it is.” 5 had to hug the other creature but 6 suddenly ripped his hands from 5’s and shoved him away.

“Go away.” The striped ragdoll said in a tiny voice.

“6, please, I want to help-“

“I said GO AWAY!” 6 reached forward and took a swipe at 5’s chest with his pointed fingers. He missed by about an inch, but for the first time, 5 found himself appreciating just how sharp 6’s pen-nibs were. “Leave, leave, LEAVE!” 6 wailed and tugged at his hair. “Go! Get out! Don’t care, don’t care, don’t care!”  
5 had never seen 6 so upset before. His first instinct was to run away from 6’s anger, but he steeled his resolve and took a step towards 6, holding his palms out.

“6, please calm down. Please listen to me for a minute. You’re fine, I-“

But 6 wasn’t having any of it. He stomped and screeched and finally collapsed to the ground in a head, silent and twitching slightly. A moment passed.  
“6?”  
Silence.

“6, a-are you alright?”

“What’s all this racket? I thought I told you to stay quiet!” 1 stomped into the alcove, squinting in the darkness. 5’s heart sank and he stared at the floor rather than look 1 in the face.

“N-nothing. I was just leaving.” He mumbled and scurried away, away from 6, past 1 and 8, who was standing off to the side, sneering at 5. Rather than hoist the elevator, 5 simply jump from the landing and slid down the rope. He landed clumsily in the bucket with a ‘clang!’ when he reached the ground floor. 7, who was sitting nearby, playing Roll the Marble with the Twins, looked up sharply, reaching instinctively for her spear. When she saw it was only 5, she frowned and left the Twins to follow 5 to the workshop.

She found him alone, restlessly shuffling screws around the worktable. She sighed, for she knew this as classic ‘5 is upset and is refusing to deal with it head on’ behavior.

“So, what did Our Fearless Leader do this time?” she quipped. 5 jumped and knocked over a thimble full of fishhooks. 7 held back a snort and went to go help him clean up the spill.

“Oh, nothing important.” 5 said derisively.

“Tch, c’mon 5, you don’t have to defend the jerk to me. I already don’t like him.” 7 said with a playful punch to 5’s shoulder. 5 fiddled with a fishhook for a few seconds, avoiding 7 gaze. 7 took 5’s face between her hands and pulled him around to look at her. “Come on now, 5. Talk to me.”

“Well, I-“ 5 sat back on his haunches and sighed “It’s not really 1 I’m mad at.”

“So, you finally admit that you do get mad at 1!” crowed 7. 5 shot her a reproachful look and she stifled her giggles.

“Yeah, well, that’s not it this time. I mean, I hate that he’s keeping 6 all alone up there, but… it’s actually 6 I’m having problems with.”

7 nodded and tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully. “The little guy really likes you, 5. I remember how he used to trail after you even before we moved in here.”

“I know!” blurted 5 “And, honestly, I like him too. He’s weird and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense sometimes, but usually that doesn’t bother me.”

“’Usually.’” 7 remarked. “I take it something not ‘usual’ happened with 6?”

“Yes. Well, yes and no. He started going off like he does, and I just followed along as best I could, and then he showed me this drawing of this… thing. A monster of some kind. Then he started babbling about how ‘The Beast’ was coming for us and how I had to believe him.”

“Did you believe him?”

“Well, no!” 5 declared, spreading his hands as if to say ‘duh’.

“Why not?” 7 asked, a note of exasperation tingeing her voice.

“7! It can’t be real! 6 just hasn’t gotten over the War yet. It was scary for everyone and you know that 6 kind of handles things… differently than everyone else.”

“That doesn’t discount what he has to say.” Reasoned 7 plaintively.

“No, I- ” 5 scratched the back of his neck and tried to think. “No, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is… we are the only living things left. No beast could’ve survived the gas. There is nothing out there!” he finished with a huff, gesticulating outward.

“Nothing that we know of.” Asserted 7. 5 glared at her. “Okay, okay. So 6 could be talking crazy nonsense. It’s totally possible that we are the only creatures left here. We haven’t seen anything else, so who’s to say the City isn’t completely empty save for us? But at the same time, just because we can’t see it doesn’t  
mean it’s not there.”

“7-“ started 5, but 7 interrupted, leaning forward with a slightly wild look in her optics.

“You’re a scientist 5! You know better than to completely disregard something without testing it!”

“When did we start talking about science?” sputtered 5. 7 rolled her eyes and waved her hands.

“Fine, whatever. Back to 6. Knowing what I know of the little bug, he got upset when you said you didn’t believe him, right?”

“Right.” Answered 5, suddenly feeling a bit miserable thinking about 6’s fit of rage.

“Uh-huh.” 7 tapped her bottom lip again. “Well, if I were you, I’d get my butt back up the clocktower and tell 6 that while we don’t see eye to weird, mismatched eye, I still value his opinion.” She leaned forward and spoke very slowly, as if she were talking to a half-wit. “Don’t you think that’s a good idea, 5?”  
A pause.

“No.” 5 jumped up and stomped out of the workshop.

“Fine!” shouted 7 after him “Go be a stubborn twit! See if I care!” She heard 5’s footsteps fade away, only to be replaced by a set of fluttering, staccato taps. She looked up to see the Twins peering around the curtain that formed the forth wall of the workshop. 7 sighed and shook her head. She hauled herself up and beckoned to the Twins, who pattered to her sides and took her hands, their eyes flashing inquisitively.

“Girls, what have I always told you about the males of our kind? They are incurably block-headed and generally not worth our time.”  
The Twins nodded eagerly and flickered their eyes in agreement.


	2. Chapter 2

A day went by. Then another… and another. All too quickly, a week and a half had passed since 5 had last visited 6 in the clocktower. 5 kept to himself, carrying out tasks for 2 in uncharacteristic silence. He stayed mostly in the workshop, planning and building constantly. 7 noticed his absence from daily life immediately, and guessed the reason just as quickly. When the Twins asked her why 5 hadn’t come out to play with them or shown them any new inventions she simply patted them and said “He’s just figuring some stuff out right now. Give him time.” Even as several more days passed, marked by 5’s silence, she hoped her assumption was correct.

If 6 was behaving any differently, no one noticed.

It wasn’t until 2 went to 1 requesting (and by ‘requesting’ he meant ‘I’m going to do this whether you like it or not’) his blessing for a scavenging trip out into the Emptiness that 5 caught even a glimpse of 6.

“Why must you insist on perpetuating such reckless behavior?” groaned 1, pinching the spot where the rims of his optics met.

“Why must you insist on labeling anything involving the unknown as reckless? It’s just a simple reconnaissance trip, 1. Nothing to lose your head over. You won’t be going anyway.” Quipped 2 lightly. Standing in the landing of the elevator shaft, 5 had to repress a chuckle at 2’s cheekiness. Had he been nearer to the center of the room, 5 would not have had the courage to even smile at 2’s snarks, but in the safety of the shadows, a good distance away from 1 and 8, he had to grin at his mentor’s antics.

1 sneered at 2 before thumping his staff on the ground and standing. 5’s grin quickly disappeared and he winced at 1’s angry expression.

“Nothing to lose my head over? It’s not my head you should be worried about, 2. You don’t seem to realize just how dangerous the Emptiness truly is! We have no idea what is out there! There could be hostile humans who would be all too happy to tear a small machine to pieces! Or worse, there could be the true machines!”

“Yes, there could be humans, and there could be machines. Could, 1.” Stated 2 with a raised aluminum digit. “Then again there could be nothing more than endless scrap.”

“And you would risk everyone’s safety for the sake of satisfying your own pointless questions?” hissed 1.

“This isn’t for knowledge’s sake, 1! Believe me, I would love to be able to stay in safety for the rest of my days, but it just isn’t possible! We may not need sustenance or water to survive, but we do need supplies! ”

“What supplies? What could you possibly need that this place doesn’t provide us?” demanded 1, gesturing around to the melancholy grandeur of the clocktower.

“We need wire of stronger gauges to reinforce the tethers on the canvas in the watchtower, we need magnets, batteries, and copper wiring to build a motor to power the electric lights we have, plus we need a lot of strong cloth, motor oil, cutting implements, nails, screws, bolts, adhesives, as much lightweight scrap metal as we can carry, lenses from human spectacles, matches, nylon thread, thinner sewing needles, pliers… Do you want me to go on? Because I most definitely can, 1.”

“Never mind, you’ve made your point.” Barked 1. “Very well, you have my blessing. But-“ here the Leader smiled a sharp-edged smile “I am coming with you, as is 8. I want to be certain that this venture isn’t simply for the sake of your science. Tomorrow morning we will go into the Emptiness, we will gather what is needed and only what is needed, and then we will return here immediately, understood?”

“Yes, yes, couldn’t be clearer, dear brother.” 2 said blithely. “Now, we were planning-“

“No!” from his alcove, suddenly 6 burst forth, sharp fingers tugging at his hair and streaking his head with black ink.

“No, you mustn’t!” he cried in a quavering voice. An emotion 5 couldn’t quite identity clawed its way through his chest and into his voice box and he shrunk instinctively back into the shadows. His heart started whirring; the output feeling like it had tripled in less than a second.

“Don’t go out! Please, please don’t go out! It’s out there, it’s hunting for us! You mustn’t, you mustn’t!” 6 continued, stumbling up to 2 and grabbing the older creature’s shoulders. 2’s face was the picture of confusion and concern, and he reached out to cup the chin of the hysterical ragdoll.

“Calm down, lad, calm down. You’re alright. Slow down and start over. What’s the matter?” to his credit, 2’s voice remained calm even as 6 started to shake and babble.

“It’s waiting for you! The Beast! It hunts the light! Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go!”

Enraged, 1 slammed his staff into the floor and roared. “Enough of your madness! 8!” the guard stood at attention.

“Take 6 back to his room and see to it that he stays there.”

8 smiled cruelly and strode over to 6, who clung to 2 and quailed. The behemoth took the smaller creature by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away, back into the darkened alcove at the back of the room. 5 watched the whole display with horror and guilt and anger battling for dominance in his heart. He backed up all the way into the waiting bucket elevator and slumped to his knees. Poor 6! How could 1 be so cruel to him! He was clearly not in his right mind and yet 1 wouldn’t even allow 2 to comfort him. The sudden, nigh irresistible urge to run to 6’s side and soothe him flooded 5’s wires, only to be shot down when the image of 6, angry and betrayed at 5’s refusal to believe him sprang into 5’s thoughts.

No, 6 would not want to see him, especially not now.

1, ever businesslike, adjusted his jeweled clasp and turned his attention back to 2, who was staring after 6, a sad, almost helpless look in his eyes.

“Well, I for one have had enough excitement for one day. 2, I will see you here at dawn.”

2 blinked twice and shook his head slightly “What? I’m sorry, my mind seems to have wandered a bit.” 1 sighed long-sufferingly and repeated himself.

“I said I will see you here at dawn tomorrow. Honestly 2, don’t tell me you’re going senile already.”

The cheeky grin slid back onto 2’s face, but his eyes remained distant. “You are the oldest, brother. I think I’d be worried about you going soft in the head first. ‘Til tomorrow, then! 5 and I have much to prepare.” The old creature gave a half-bow embellished with an ironic little loopy-loop of a hand, and then turned on his heel and walked away. 1 returned to his throne and slouched regally, looking after 2’s retreating back with slitted eyes.

When 2 reached the elevator, he seemed to be lost in thought until he noticed 5 sitting dejectedly in the bucket. 2 shut the bucket’s door and stood with his hands on his hips.

“Dear boy, what on earth are you doing down there?”

“What? Oh! Oh, sorry!” 5 sprang to his feet and went to the crank. He released the catch and started to winch the bucket down to the ground floor. “Sorry, 2, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Never mind that, lad. What I really want to know is why you look like someone’s sentenced you to death! Surely spending a day with the old coot and his blundering henchman isn’t that bad?”

“A day with… Oh, no, that’s not it at all- I mean, uh, what I meant is, uhm, there’s nothing wrong. Does the winch sound like it needs oiling to you?”

2 raised an eyebrow and struck a pose of incredulity even as the bucket thunked inelegantly against the ground floor. 5 opened the door and prepared to get out, but 2 stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“5, I may be old, but I’m not so far gone I can’t see what’s right in front of me. What’s the matter?” 2 touched his mentor’s hand, the truth of the situation beating at his lips, fighting to spill out. 5 forced a smile and patted 2’s hand noncommittally.

“It’s nothing 2, really. Just being up there with 1 and 8 puts me on edge is all.”

“Yes, I hear you there.” Agreed 2, rolling his eyes. “You realize the old biddy is going to slow us down exponentially tomorrow?”

Inwardly, 5 heaved a great sigh of relief that 2 had apparently bought his story. The two walked back to the workshop, chatting and planning.

The rest of the day was spent in intense preparation. There was so much to do! Lists to be written, room to be cleared out for new supplies, maps to be rechecked… 5 was so caught up in his work that when 7 burst into the workshop, her pale face ablaze with fury, he didn’t even realize she was there until she smacked his shoulder to get his attention.

“You’re going out and you didn’t tell me!” she accused. “I have to hear it from 1! And now I can’t go with you anyway because 1’s making me stay here to look after the Twins and 6! Like I’m a damn nanny or a servant or something! I can’t believe you and 2 are taking that old bastard and his stupid bodyguard and not me!”

“I-I’m sorry! It was very sudden!”

“I live a foot away from you! You could have come and told me at a second’s notice!”

“I’m really sorry! It’s not like I want 1 to come with us, he just butted in!”

“Ugh! I don’t care about 1 right now, I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me you and 2 were going out! You know I’ve been dying to go out for ages, 5! I’m going crazy in here! You know I’d help you and 2 out as much as I could! Why didn’t you come tell me earlier? Why? Do you not want me to be around you?” At 7’s furious question, 5’s mind came to a screeching halt.

“W-what? 7, no! You know I wouldn’t want that!”

“Could’ve fooled me, with the way you’ve been acting.” She huffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest and glaring.

“How have I been acting?” 5 begged, truly confused.

“You been ignoring everyone since you had that fight with 6! You’ve hardly even spoken to me or the Twins, much less come and visited with us. Even when you did talk to me it was all short and like you weren’t even seeing me at all!”

“I-I’ve been busy! I have work!”

“I happen to know that you’ve been moping around more than working. Seriously, 5, what is going on with you? Is this   
about 6?” Rattled by 7’s questions, 5 snapped and shouted at his friend.

“Nothing! Nothing is wrong with me, okay? Since when did you get so nosy?”

The air froze and the two ragdolls stared at eachother. 5 immediately realize the horridness of what he’d just said and felt as though his heart had shriveled up. He’s mouth opened and closed several times as his mind frantically tried to piece together an apology.

“Nosy?” 7 hissed, her eyes narrowing “Nosy? Well sorry for trying to be your friend, you stupid jerk!” She shrieked before spinning on her heel and stomping towards the exit. Utterly stunned, 5 could only stare at 7’s retreating back before he came to his senses and chased after her out into the Nave. He caught her elbow only to have her yank it out of his grip with a violent tug. She quickened her pace, heading towards the room she shared with the Twins. 5 wrung his hands and tried to catch up with her.

“7! 7, I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that! It was awful of me.” Suddenly 7 turned and looked 5 straight in the eye. Her gaze was so intense that it was all 5 could do to keep his eye focused on the ground and mumble. “I apologize, 7. I-I was being a stupid jerk back there.”

The air was tense and still for a moment, and 5 was certain that 7 was going to either yell at him or slap him… but she only sighed.

“It’s alright 5. Just don’t call me nosy again, okay? 1 calls me nosy a lot and it pisses me off.”

“I won’t, 7.” 5 muttered, his guilt intensifying at 7’s mention of 1. Their leader was very hard on 7 and was a source of a lot of grief for her. 5 was not a cruel soul and the thought of making his best friend’s pain worse made him feel completely rotten.

“I… I’m also sorry about you not being able to come with us. Really I’d prefer your company to 1’s any day. I should have told you, I know. I’ve just been so…”

“So weird lately.” 7 finished for him. “It’s okay.” She cracked a smile and winked. “You can make it up to be by coming with me next time I sneak out.”

“7! S-sneak out?!” 5 gaped at her and 7 burst out laughing.

“Oh, Maker! Your face, 5! You looked like a fish!” she said through her giggles. “Seriously, it’s fine. Just promise to take me with you next time.”

“I promise.” Said 5, meaning it with every fiber in his cloth.

“Now tell me”, said 7 briskly when she’d finished giggling “What is it about 6 that’s bothering you so much? You’ve been all mopey for two weeks.”

5 turned away from his friend, his heart simultaneously speeding up and feeling like it was sinking. They started back to the workshop together, 7 watching 5 attentively and 5 picking neurotically at his finger joints. They slipped past the curtain and 5 leaned back against the worktable. He heaved a great sigh and hid his face in his hands.

“I don’t know 7!” If 5 had had hair, he would have tugged at it in a gesture of despair eerily reminiscent of 6’s own idiosyncratic habits. “I was the one who got him stuck up there all alone in the first place, and then the second he turns to me for help, I let him down!”

“You didn’t believe him.” Muttered 7, more to herself than to 5.

“Yes! But how could I? The war ended months ago and there has been no sign of any living thing besides us! I… I can’t believe him. I can’t believe that there’s some beast out there that’s hunting us. I don’t want to believe it. Life is hard enough without some monster out to get us.”

“Is that what it is really? You don’t want to believe him?” 7 asked critically. 5 hung his head and made a helpless noise. She sighed and went to sit by her friend on the worktable. She slung an arm around his shoulders and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “Listen, 5. I wouldn’t want to believe it either, but the fact remains that we really have no way of knowing what’s true right now. But… I don’t think that that is the most important thing here. I think… I think that you’re really dear to 6 and he needs your support. If that support means you have to at least entertain some of the crazy stuff he comes up with, well…” she trailed off, knowing 5 would get the point. After a few seconds, 5 sighed and lay his head on 7’s shoulder.

“He’s important to me, 7. I don’t even know why, but he is. It’s like I have to pick between 6 and myself, and I… I don’t know if I can do it. I feel responsible for him. That is, I want to make him happy. He’s so miserable most the time… But all this stuff about beasts in the Emptiness… I just don’t know what to choose here.”

“Just do what your instincts tell you to do, dolt! Do what you think is right and stick with it!” declared 7, rapping 5 lightly on the top of his head. “Here, I’ll do you a favor. Either you get up there and talk to 6 and work this out by… Tomorrow, say. If you don’t get it done by then, you have to take all my watches for the next week. That should put an end to your dithering.”

“I can’t do that!” 5 cried.

“And why not?” demanded 7.

“I’m going out into the Emptiness tomorrow. I’ll do it, but I’ll do it the day after tomorrow. I want to do this right and not have to rush or have a lot of other issues on my mind, y’know?”

“A likely story.” Growled 7 and punched 5 in arm. The conversation went from serious to silly as 5 and 7 moved away from the worktable and engaged in a brief, playful slap-fight. The tiny fray ended in laughter and 7 acquiesced. “Fine, fine. You have until sunset on the day after tomorrow.”

“Can do, ma’am.” Said 5 with smile, feeling freer than he had in days. He could fix this. He would talk to 6 and heal the breech with the striped ragdoll and regardless of whether or not he actually believed 6’s story, it would all be fine.


	3. Chapter 3

The day of the scavenging trip dawned bright and chilly, the sky clear and streaked with pink and ruby red. It was mornings like this that made 5 wonder what had possessed the humans to build horrible machines and start wars with eachother. How could they have been so focused on killing when they had beautiful things to look at all the time? 5 figured if he could look at sunrises this pretty in addition to all the green growing things 2 had told him about, he’d barely be able to pull himself away to sleep, much less wage war.

6 would love this. He thought and smiled. A strange nervousness fluttered around in his insides as the image of 6, smiling and happy, popped into his mind. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just strange. Almost ticklish, in a way. I’ll look for something for him today. He thought, his smile growing of its own accord. He’d like something he could use in his pictures. Paint, maybe, or some clean paper. He had spent most of the previous evening between states of determination and extreme nervousness. Finally, he steeled his nerves to wait for the day (or night, maybe, so he could have as much time as possible to prepare…) he planned to talk with 6. Odd, that a simple conversation should weigh on him so, but 6… Well, 6 had that effect on him.

“Confound it, 2, we need a more specific plan than that!”

Speaking of effects, 5 groaned when 1’s irritable voice sliced through the crisp morning air. He had also spent the night before getting geared up and excited for day of scavenging, only to remember that 1 and 8 were coming with.  
5 had been waiting for 2, 1, and 8 by the cathedral gates, leaning casually against cart he and 2 had built for the purpose of hauling scrap as he lost himself in his thoughts of sunrises and hopefully mended friendships. Now his mind was pulled forcefully back to earth as he watched the others come up over the small rise that preceded the cathedral gate. 2 was ambling along merrily, apparently having a wonderful time vexing 1with his slightly wicked amiability. He had his candle hat tucked under one arm and was using his spear as a walking stick. 1 was speaking heatedly to 2, gesturing and waving his staff about in his passion. The leader had traded his usual red cape and jewel for a plainer brown cloak, but kept his signature tall miter. 8 lumbered along a step or two behind 1, his scissor blade slung over one shoulder, looking less than pleased to be up at dawn.

“1, my dearest brother, I’m afraid the day’s events simply cannot be planned out one, two, one, two.” 2 chuckled at his own little joke. “Perhaps if we went out more often, we’d be able to map the Emptiness more accurately and then these scavenging trips wouldn’t take up a whole day.”

“Oh no, I see where you’re going with this. It’s bad enough that we’re going to be out there all day. If you think that wandering around this abyss is a good idea, then I declare you to be going senile. Perhaps I should have you kept away with 6, hmm?”

5’s heart nearly stopped at the idea of his teacher locked up in the clocktower, but 2 himself cackled.

“Oh 1, I would love to see you try.” The older creature laughed heartily as 1 scowled. “Now then, perhaps we should be getting on. Who wants to pull first?”

And so the day started. There was brief squabble over who was going to pull the cart, followed by a disagreement over whether they should head east or west. This in turn led to an argument over whether or not 2’s compass was faulty. The eventually decided that 8 would pull the cart, that they would head west, and that 2’s compass was perfectly functional, thank-you-very-much. By the time the next spat broke out, this time about how fast or slow they ought to walk, 5 had retired to the back of the group with his crossbow, mumbling an excuse about acting as the rear guard.  
1 and 2 bickered throughout the morning, their snipes becoming less and less like actual fighting and more like a well-worn banter. 2 would pick up something ‘smashing’ and 1 would declare it unneeded and demand 2 leave it out of their steadily growing collection of scraps. 2 and 1 would then squabble over the object. If 2 came out on top the item in question would be added to the pile with great aplomb. If 2 didn’t win, however, the item was added anyway, for 5 would snatch the doodad up when 1 wasn’t watching and discretely put it on the cart.

By the time the sun reached its zenith, 5 had almost completely forgotten his unease about 1 and about 6. 2 seemed to take on new life as he showed 5 bits and bobs of human technology and 5 was eager to learn as always. When they stopped to rest a little after noon, even 1 had an air of relaxation about him as he attached a tiny, tinkling bell to the crook of his staff. 2 sat nearby the eldest, slowly and carefully prying the lenses out of a pair of spectacles.8 was the only one who was bored with the piles upon piles of wondrous scrap all around the, but even he was fairly basking as he turned his scissor blade over and over, admiring the golden glint of the sunlight off its edge.

It was a flicker of light from 8’s blade that drew 5’s attention to the odd shiny something wedged in a pile a few feet away from the group. 5 set his crossbow carelessly on the cart and jogged over to where he had seen the whatever-it-was sparkle. He searched for a good ten minutes, digging through chunks of concrete and bits of rusted metal when he saw the sparkle again, this time farther away from the others. 5 nibbled a fingertip thoughtfully and looked back at 1, 2, and 8. 1 and 2 were speaking quietly to eachother and 8 was still fiddling with his scissor blade.

I shouldn’t, but… 5 thought looking longingly at the mysterious thingy that wink and flashed at him from between a collapsed shed and a rusting automobile. It’s not that far. I’ll only be gone for a minute.With one last glance over at 1 and 2, 5 sprinted over to the old auto. He was certain he could see a shiny silvery thing glinting faintly in the shadow under a plank of wood from the old shed. He took hold of the plank and pulled as hard as he could.

And found himself looking straight into a pair of optics.

There was split second during which 5 was sure he practically levitated from shock before he realized that he knew those optics.

"7?" he stammered shakily, and yanked back the old cloth a few inches. Sure enough it was 7, crouching low to the ground, a look of pure chagrin on her face.

"Hi, 5." She whispered with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"What are you doing out here?" 5 yelped.

"Ssshhh!" 7 hissed and grabbed 5's forearms, dragging him into the shadows with her. "Quiet! 1 and 8 are right over there! Do you have any idea what 1 would do if he found out I followed you all out here?"

"7, you followed us?" 5 rasped, still dazed.

"Yes, I did, now shh! Just… just go back over with the others and pretend you didn't see me, okay?"

"7," 5 shook his head to clear it "This isn't a good idea! You could get caught and then 1 would lock you up for who knows how long! And what if the twins… oh Maker, what if 6 gets into trouble?"

"I know, alright?" snapped 7, stamping her foot in frustration. "I know, but I just couldn't stand being cooped up any longer. I couldn't breathe in there, 5."

"What in the hell-" at the sound of the new voice, 7 actually yipped in alarm and 5 spun around so quickly that he painfully turned his left ankle tumbled to the packed dirt ground. He looked up to see 2 standing about a felt foot away looking both startled and slightly amused. "Young lady" he said, affecting a stern voice and shaking his pointer finger at 7, "I think you have some explaining to do."

7 laughed breathlessly and smiled out of sheer relief. 2 smiled back but there remained somberness in his eyes. "My dear, I understand your reasons for being out here, but I think it would be best if you headed home now."

7's grin vanished. "What? Why?"

"What's going on over here?" 7 startled and 5 visibly flinched at the sound of 1's voice. 2 palpated a temple.

"That is why, 7."

1 rounded the corner of the junked auto, 8 hot on his heels. With the cloth pulled back, 7 was fully visible to the eldest creature. His optics landed on her and fury shot through his features like a flame through gunpowder.

"You-" he snarled, optics narrowing dangerously "You impudent whelp of a girl, I told you to stay behind."

From his spot on the ground, 5 quailed. 1's wrath wasn't directed at him, but it was no less terrifying. 7, on the other hand, clenched her fists and straitened up, fixing 1 with a glare that would have frozen a burning flame like so much dew in the wintertime.

"I don't care what you told me, I'm as free to come and go as I please. I'm not your slave."

"Selfish child! I ordered you stay at the cathedral to look after the others! And yet you disobey me just to indulge your own wants!"

"I did not!" 7 growled "The others are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves; you just can't stand the thought of something being out of your control."

"I am in control because I am the only one of us with any damned common sense! How dare you challenge me?"

"You can't control my life!" 7 shrieked, lunging forward at 1. 5 gasped and recoiled at 7's sudden violence, but he her hands remained at her sides. She locked optics with 1, standing scant millimeters away from the older creature.

"Nothing you can say or do can control me." For a moment, 1 looked stunned, but at 7's pronouncement, a sly smile slithered across his face.

"Oh, but there is something, I think." 1 said sneeringly. 7 snorted in disbelief, but 1 only smiled wider. "Such disobedience makes me wonder if you are responsible enough to look after the Twins as you have been. You have, after all, left them to any danger they might come across." As 1 spoke, 8 loomed up behind him, a physical reminder of 1's power.

5 and 2 locked eyes, identical looks of horror on their faces. 7's expression didn't change, but her posture grew rigid and tense, a tremor in her clenched fists.

"They are inexperienced and childish. It's not wise to leave them without supervision. Perhaps I should take over their care myself, seeing as you are so self-absorbed as to leave them alone. I believe there is room in the clocktower alongside 6-"

"Don't-" hissed 7 through a clenched jaw. She stiffened even further, realizing too late that she had betrayed a weakness at the worst time. There was a brief silence in which the air itself seemed to freeze solid. 1 kept his optics locked with 7's, whose shoulders have started to shake. Finally, finally, she slumped where she stood and bowed her head. 1 had found her weak point; she would never let the Twins be locked away as 6 was if she could help it.

"I'm glad we see eye to eye." 1 said smoothly, straightening his brown cloak. He turned and strode over to 2, who looked somehow older and sadder than he ever had before. "I think it's best if we returned home." 2 only nodded and stared sadly at the ground. Their leader gestured at 8, who laid a huge hand along 7's narrow shoulders, pushing her to walk forward. She did as directed, staring at the dirt with an ever more despondent expression on her face than 2's. 5 watched the leader, the bodyguard, and his best friend head back to the cart, for a moment forgetting to throb of his twisted ankle.

2 heaved a great sigh the second the others were out of earshot and massaged the rim of his left optic.

"Oh, 7…" he muttered under his breath "Oh, 1…" The older ragdoll shook his head and only then seemed to notice his fallen apprentice. "My goodness, I'm sorry my lad! I'm afraid I got lost in my own head there. Let me help you." The old inventor's usually cheery tone was back in a flash, but there was a slight edge to it, as he was very tired. 2 gripped 5's hands and pulled him up and slung one of 5's arms over his shoulders. 5 allowed his teacher to direct his movements and leaned on him as they slowly made their way back to the cart. Before they got back into the sights of the others, 5 turned his head to look at 2's face.

"Why did you let him do that?" he murmured, begging his teacher for answers. 2 stopped in his tracks, readjusting his grip on 5's arm and waist.

"I don't like it any more than you, 5, but I… I don't think this battle is for us."

"What?" breathed 5 incredulously. He had never before seen 2 get up on something so easily. 2 only shook his head and sighed.

"I'm not a leader, 5. I can get what I want or what I need and I can look after others, but I'm too soft-hearted to make the hard choices. 1 may be a bastard, but making hard decisions is one thing he can do. For me to challenge 1 now would be to challenge his leadership, which I cannot and will not do. 7 is much tougher than I am. If she is unhappy with the way 1 does things, it's up to her to make her own move."

For a moment 5 and 2 only looked at eachother, 5 seeing for the first time how old 2 really was. He was young at heart, but the horrors he had seen had taken a toll on him. 5 could not blame his teacher for his inaction.  
"I understand." Said 5 sadly but evenly. 2 gave him a half-smile-half-grimace and they continued to hobble back the cart.

1 demanded they take the shorted way back the cathedral rather than the circuitous route they had taken while scavenging. 8 pulled the cart, which was only at half-capacity, while 7 walked silently at the right side with 1 at her back, keeping a close watch on her. 2 and 5 sat on the back of the cart while 2 worked 5's ankle, carefully nudging the ball joint back into its socket. Soon enough 5's ankle was fixed and painless, leaving him free to walk beside 7 while 1 took his place on the cart next to 2. Neither elder spoke to eachother.

5 and 7 didn't talk either, but 7 smiled at 5 when he gently touched her hand and gave her an apologetic smile of his own. They walked in silence for a while until the cart gave a sudden lurch and juddered to a stop. 8 heaved at the cart, but it only jerked and thumped again and stayed put.

"What is wrong with this thing?" demanded 1.

"Now, now, hold your engines." Grumbled 2. He slid off the cart and went to inspect the front wheels of the cart. 2 hunkered down to get a better look and made a huff of confusion.

"What on earth…" he wondered softly, rubbing his chin.

"What is it?" 5 asked, drawn by 2's confusion. He crouched down next to 2 and stared in abject confusion at what had caused the delay.

The left front wheel had come down a bump a little too fast and gotten stuck in what appeared to be the deep footprint of some kind of large animal. The print resembled an elongated letter 'y' with an extra prong on top. 5 had seen very few animals in his life, and most of them had been dead. He had seen birds though, and he knew what bird prints looked like. This strange mark looked like it could have been made by a bird… a very large, very heavy, very skeletal bird if the depth, size, and bony shape of the footprint was any indication.

"Oh dear…" breathed 2. 5 turned his attention to the other creature and saw that he was flaking away at the soft edges of the print with an aluminum finger; it was still fresh.

"5, get your crossbow." 2 ordered softly.

5 didn't need to be told twice. Panic rising in his inner workings, he leapt up and almost hurt his ankle again as he stumbled over to where he had put his quiver and bow. He threw on the quiver and snatched up the crossbow in shaking hands, loading the biggest, sturdiest needle he had into the groove. 2 mirrored his actions and scurried to collect his spear. 8, who had been watching 2 and 5, drew his scissor blade and fell into a defensive stance.

"What is it?" demanded 1 impatiently.

"Shhh!" hissed 2. "There may be something out here."

1 drew in a slow, shocked breath and 7 outright hissed. Out of the corner of his eye, 5 could see her drop low into a stance similar to 8's, her hands clenching and unclenching as if itching for her absent spear.

"1, 7" whispered 2 "Get under the cart." 1 immediately leapt down from his perch and darted under the cart. 7 balked.

"Give me your spear, 2. You take cover." She said.

"My dear-" 2 started but was interrupted by a crash coming from not far off. 5 whirled around wildly, sighting with his bow in every direction.

"2!" 7 whispered again.

Another crash, this time followed by the skin-crawling screech of iron scraping against iron.

7 held out her hand to 2, who gave her an appraising look before reluctantly handing over his weapon. At 7's silent urging, he crawled under the cart, but not without one last look at 5 and 7.

The scritch-scritch of metal against stone and hard-packed dirt.

"Backs to the cart, facing outwards. 7, to the right side." Ordered 8 in a hoarse tone. 7 obeyed for once, slowly making her way around the cart, always keeping her back to it. 8 was at the front, leaving 5 alone on the left side.

A rattling noise, as if some large thing was pawing through the rubble.

5's hands shook violently as the shadow of some huge thing emerged from behind the pile of debris he was facing. The sun was behind it, backlighting it with fierce white light, blinding 5 for a few seconds. When his eyes cleared, he wished he had been struck blind.

It was… wrong. It was a monster. Over twice even 8's height, the skeletal creature stood on blackened metal legs, its spiked back hunched over, creating a kind of razor-sharp halo for its horrible head. The head itself was the long-toothed, yellow skull of a cat punctuated by the glowing red orb in its enormous left eye-socket.

The aberration of nature seemed slightly surprised to see the soft, small creatures regarding it with horror and revulsion at the bottom of the scrap heap. It tilted its awful head and clack its jaw like a living cat would lick its chops.

Then it crouched back on its heels and leapt right for them, wicked sharp claws first.  
5 felt a shout of terror leave his throat, but didn't hear it. His hands clenched on his crossbow, firing the long needle at the creature's eye. With a sharp 'ping' the projectile bounced harmlessly off the red orb. The monster screamed in outrage, a horrible, earsplitting sound that made 5's gears rattle in his head. It raised a huge claw and swung at 5.

The one-eyed ragdoll fell back in terror. It was a lucky move on his part, as his fall made the beast's clawtips miss his buttoned front by less than a centimeter. 5 felt something wiry wrapped around his middle and pull him sharply backward.

"5, get under here, now!" It was 2, yanking him under the cart, bow and all.

The creature screamed again, and 5 clutched the sides of his head in pain. It seemed to have taken notice of 8. 5 couldn't see what was going on above him, but he could hear the sound of the creature leaping towards 8. There was the screech of metal upon metal, and then a 'whack!' followed by several quick cracking noises. About six or seven small white things littered the ground near the cart: 8 had apparently knocked out some of the beast's teeth. The thing shrieked and suddenly the cart shook with the impact of 8's heavy body smacking into the side. 5, driven by panic but directed by his inner pragmatist, managed to shake himself of his terror-induced paralysis quick enough to scramble over to 8's prone body and drag him under. It was not an easy task, but 5 managed it with the help of 1, who grabbed one of 8's arms and heaved with all his strength.

Suddenly a shriek rent the air, but not the roar of the creature: It was 7. The beast shrieked, but the cry was cut off by a strange 'k-chnk!' sound. 5 peeked out from under the cart, only for the beast to tumble right in front of him, the hideous red eye staring him right in the face. 5 gave a strangled yell and backpedaled furiously, kicking up dirt and he tried to put distance between him and the creature. It snapped it jaws at him and snarled. It writhed in the dirt next to the cart and tried to get up on its four legs again, only to topple over with a howl of rage. As the creature kicked and turned over on the ground, 5 saw the source of its sudden impediment: 8's scissorblade was jammed in the joint of the thing's front-right leg, rendering the limb useless and the creature hopelessly off balance.

"Hey!" 5 and the other ragdolls, including 8 who was sitting woozily, looked around to see 7 ducked down at the back on the cart and motioning frantically to them. "Run, c'mon!" she hollered, her voice strained and her posture oddly bent.

"C'mon, dammit, that thing won't stay down forever!" she screamed again.

The four hiding ragdolls scurried out from under the cart and ran like hell. 5 let his crossbow hang in one hand as he grasped 2's hand up the other. 2 lagged behind slightly and 5 practically had to drag the older creature, but he couldn't think about the roughness. The tiny air pumps in his chest burned and his parts began to overheat, but he couldn't stop. He ran, following 7's back (It's torn completely open the still-sane part of his mind realized) until all he could think about was one more step, just one more, if I stop now the Beast will kill us all, just one more step.

"5! 5, stop!" a hard yank on his arm sent him tumbling backwards and he suddenly found himself flat on his back, staring up at the sky.

"Whuuh?" he wheezed.

"Sorry, about that lad, but you just wouldn't stop." 5 sat up and found 2 kneeling next to him. The older creature was rubbing his own shoulder joint and 5 flushed with guilt realizing he must have been hurting his mentor by dragging him along behind him.

"I'm sorry!" he said through his panting. 2 smiled chucked weakly.

"No harm done, 5. You were just a little overenthusiastic."

"What happened to the thing?" 5 rasped, whipping around and searching the area wildly with his one eye.

"We left it behind, son." Said 2, rubbing 5's back. "We're home now."

"W-we are?"

"Yes, 5." 2 pointed behind 5 and the younger ragdoll turned to see the cathedral looming a short distance away. 2 had stopped them right inside the gates. "You ran like the wind and left everyone else behind, lad. I tried to get you to slow down, but I don't think you were hearing me."

"Where is everyone?" 5 gasped. 2 pointed again, this time in the opposite direction of the church. 5 turned around again to see 1 and 8 coming towards the gates at a swift jog. 1 was clearly out-of-breath and 8 was winded but not terribly worse for wear… but 7 was slung over 8's shoulder, limp as a corpse.

"7!" 5 cried and tried to get up, but his exhausted knees gave out, refusing to support his weight.

2 sucked in a breath and stood quickly. He hauled 5 up by an arm and started walking his student into the cathedral.

"8! Bring 7 to the workshop immediately!" he called over his shoulder, keeping a surprisingly firm grip on 5, who kept trying to twist around to look at 7. "No! 5, calm down. We're going to the workshop too, just walk with me."

Too tired to fight for long, 5 slumped into 2's sure hands, and allowed himself to be led into the workshop. He was vaguely aware of passing though the Nave where the Twins appeared out of nowhere and fluttered anxiously around the returning ragdolls, eyes flashing rapidly at 7's unconscious form. At some point 2 set him down on the floor of the workshop, his back leaning up against the wall. His sight was going dim, but through the blackness he could see 8 lay 7 face down on the roller-skate they used as a gurney.

Finally, shock and sheer overwork of his delicate mechanics took its toll, and 5's vision went black.  
Someone was poking him in the face.

"Open up in there." Said a voice.

"Uuurrrg, go 'way." 5 groaned and rolled over.

"No. Open up."

Blearily, 5 opened his optic and looked right into the face of 6.

"What the-" 5 started to sit up, looking around him, confused and still somehow completely exhausted despite his sleep.  
He was still in the workshop, down on the floor where 2 had put him. Some hours had to have passed, as the place was darkened and empty, save for him and 6. Someone had shifted him so that he was lying down and had also placed a wadded up piece of terrycloth under his head and draped a thin sheet over his body. 5 rubbed the sides of his head and tried to get up, but 6 placed a sharp-fingered hand flat on his chest and pushed him firmly back down.

"You stay." He said. 5 obediently lay there, staring up at the ceiling while 6 pulled his legs up to his chest and lay his chin on his knees, watching 5 with mismatched optics.

After what could have been one minute or ten minutes, 5 spoke.

"You were right, 6." He whispered. "I didn't believe you, but you were right."

He expected 6 to berate him for not believing him in the first place, or at least call him an idiot, but instead the younger creature simply sighed and started to bounce his forehead off his knees.

"I know." He groaned. "I know, I know. Wanted you to be right. Wanted to be crazy so that it was not true. Apparently I am not crazy enough."

"How did you know, 6?" 5 said, unable to keep the wonder out of his voice. 6 only shrugged and made a soft noncommittal moue: 6-speak for 'I don't know'. "You saw it before it happened? How?"

"The dreams." 6 groaned. "The waking dreams, the ones that sneak in during daytime. They show me things. Odd things, things I don't want to know. They shift, you see? They change with our breathing and I know and don't know what will happen. I want to know, I need to know, but I can't sometimes, I just can't." The striped ragdoll ground his forehead against his knees. 5 reached out a hand and laid it against the troubled creature's shoulder. Even in one of his rare, lucid moods, he was a little hard to follow, but it didn't take a genius to know that 6 was confused and depressed, needing comfort. Exhausted though he was, 5 couldn't sit by and not help his friend.

5 squeezed 6's shoulder gently, and 6 raised his head to look at 5's face, and then 5's hand on his arm. He blinked and stared as though he'd never seen anything like it before. He looked back at 5 and smiled. A real smile, not one of his lopsided, weak grins, but a genuine, sweet smile of affection. He looked suddenly less gaunt, less haunted, and 5 couldn't help but smile back and move his hand to cup 6's cheek. 6's eyes closed blissfully and he nuzzled 5's open palm like a kitten.

"I saw your death." He murmured against 5's fingers. 5 stopped his gentle caress cold.

"Y-you what?"

"You died, in my dream." Said 6, his lips tickling 5's palm "The Beast killed you." He opened his eyes and looked into 5's optics. "But you live. You live!" a manic grin overtook his features and he jumped at 5 in an enthusiastic embrace.

"I was wrong, don't you see? There is hope yet!"

"6!" 5 took hold of 6's upper arms and pulled him back so that he could look him in the face. "6" he said "I… I don't understand what you mean a lot of the time, and I… I'm sorry for not trying harder. I will try to do better now, I really will."

There was a moment of silence before 6 threw back his head… and laughed. It was a bright, joyful sound and it stirred 5's heart in a strange new way he had never felt before. It occurred to him that he had never actually heard 6 laugh like that before. 6 laughed and giggled and toppled over into 5's lap, chuckling into 5's buttons.

"What's so funny?" inquired 5, smiling at 6 and ruffling his yarn hair. 6 laughed again and sat up so that he could look 5 in the eye.

"You are." He said brightly and leaned forward to kiss 5 full on the mouth.

6's mouth was soft and warm and pressed against 5's in a way the made 5's inner workings heat up. He was helpless under that strange, focused power and was actually startled when 6 suddenly pulled away and leapt up. The two locked eyes for a moment, 6's face full of wild wonder and 5's open-mouthed and shocked.

6 dashed out of the room in a flash, leaving 5 alone in the dimly lit workshop. After a minute of sitting stock still, he noticed that he was breathing rather… heavily and his mouth… his mouth was actually tingling a little. It was also smiling, all of its own accord.

5 touched his cloth lips slowly and knit his brow in confusion. He dropped his hands into his lap and spoke loudly to the empty workshop at large.

"WHAT?"


	4. Chapter 4

“ ‘A touch or caress of the lips upon the lips, cheek, hand, or feet of another to signify affection, greeting, reverence, or sexual attraction.’ Huh.” 5 muttered to himself, sitting cross-legged on an open encyclopedia. He tapped his optic rim thoughtfully, frowning slightly. He scooted around to look at the dictionary he’d set out behind him.“‘Kiss. Verb. To touch with the lips especially as a mark of affection or greeting.’ Criminy, that doesn’t explain much.” He turned back to look at the article in the encyclopedia. There was small black and white picture above the article that showed a male human and a female human holding each other’s faces and pressing their mouths together, just as 6 had done to him. The information was all laid out before him, nice and neat, but it wasn’t telling him anything.   
The problem was, he figured, lying back on the encyclopedia page, that he didn’t even know what he was looking for. He knew what a kiss was, he knew how to kiss (in theory), and he knew why humans kissed… What he wanted to know was why 6 had kissed him and why it had left him feeling like he was full of feathers; ticklish and sensitive and warm. Surely, among this rote, scientific information there had to be a phrase, an image, something that would explain it all to him. Some tidbit of knowledge that would make everything fall into place, like when 2 had shown him how circuits worked and he suddenly understood the nature of electricity better. He supposed he could just ask 6, but the artist had been remarkably quiet over the past few days, as if he was pretending the whole thing didn’t happen. Every time saw him he was either sleeping or in the midst of drawing. 5 was blocked at every turn, first by 6 and now by books.

It had to be in here somewhere, it just had to be. With a determined huff, 5 slid off the big book and flipped a few pages, certain he had missed some sort of vital data somewhere. He’d looked up ‘kiss’, ‘affection’, ‘sexual arousal’, and ‘caress’ with no positive results. The article on ‘sexual arousal’ had led him to the entry on ‘intercourse’ with just made the information already in his head tangle and become even more complicated. Humans were bizarre.   
Outside, the wind howled and kicked up a profusion of dirt and debris, setting the cracks in the stained glass windows to rattling and the great stone walls of the cathedral to whistling mournfully. A particularly strong gust seemed to shake the rafters of the clocktower and a small foundation crack literally shrieked from the force of the wind. 5 flinched at the high pitched wail and hugged his arms to his chest. It had been three days since the appearance of the Beast, and 5 was still jumpy, twitching at sudden, unexpected movements and loud noises. The wind died down slightly and the creaking of old wood and stone ceased for the moment. 5 sighed and flopped back down onto the encyclopedia, staring up at the dusty, pitched ceiling of the room.

All this frustration was only exasperated by cabin fever. After the incident with the Beast, 1 had ordered everyone up to the Clocktower to hunker down until it was absolutely certain that the monster hadn’t followed their trail back to their sanctuary. The upper level of the cathedral was sprawling, but access to the broken rafters that crisscrossed the length and breath of the Nave was limited, leaving the eight ragdolls effectively corralled in the less-than-spacious Clocktower and Watchtower. The Clocktower consisted of the Throne room, 1’s private room, and a small antechamber that usually lay empty and unused, save for a few books the twins and had carried up during the early days of their residence at the cathedral, among them the dictionary and the encyclopedia. For the past three days of the ragdolls’ mutual confinement, 5 spent most of his time in the antechamber, getting antsier and antsier. He thought of the workshop and all of his and 2’s projects gathering dust. Even his crossbow was down there where he couldn’t get to it if the Beast should attack.

The wind whooped again and 5 clenched his hands, willing thoughts of the Beast’s horrible roars from his mind. As if mocking him, the wind only blew harder, clamoring and hollering all through the old church like an angry ghost. 5 sat bolt upright and shuddered, rising clumsily to his feet and clopping out of the antechamber, suddenly feeling desperate for company. He trotted noisily into the throne room, earning a dirty look from 1 from where he was seated on his throne. 5 cringed apologetically and walked more sedately over to 6’s shrouded corner, where the others had gathered. 7 and the twins sat up against the wall just outside the entrance to 6’s room, napping (fitfully, in 7’s case). 2 was nowhere to be seen.

Cautiously, 5 stepped over 7’s outstretched legs and tiptoed into 6’s dwelling. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and smiled when his vision cleared and he saw 6 curled up on his sleeping pallet, dozing. Just the creature he wanted to see. He would ask 6 himself about the… the thing (5 felt his clockwork heart skip a tick at the thought of the… incident). Despite his quiet attitude, 6 had been doing very well during the other ragdolls’ enforced stay in the clocktower. He hadn’t had any moods or fits at all, so 5 figured now was the best time to talk to his friend about the… yes, well. That.

5’s head knew what it wanted. It wanted to take the few steps over to 6’s bed, wake up the younger doll, and ask him why he had kissed him. But his feet, so it would seem, had other plans. Namely, the plan to stay put and refuse to carry 5 over to 6.

I can do this. 5 thought staunchly. It’s a simple question, nothing to be nervous about.

“Ah, 5! There you are!” 5 snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see 2 waving at him from the bucket elevator. “The wind’s dying down a bit, dear boy. I think it’s safe to go ahead and tighten up that loose tether!”

Relieved and somehow very slightly put out, 5 took one last look at 6’s sleeping form before going to join his teacher.

 

Two days later, 5 felt as if he was going to burst his stitches from sheer irritation. He was a social creature, but even he needed a little time to himself, not to mention he still desperately wanted to talk with 6 alone about the thing. Truth be told, there was a number of things he wanted to talk to 6 about, the… the kiss not being the least of them. Unfortunately, 6 remained elusive, either sleeping or drawing or simply being around others when all 5 wanted to do was to have a little time with him in private. If only he could bring 6 into his room where they wouldn’t be disturbed and just talk to him.

But 1 was not allowing anyone down into the lower level of the cathedral. The cramped conditions were wearing even on him, it would seem. The leader seemed more uptight than usual, snapping at anyone who spoke ‘too loudly’ (7), ran instead of walked (the Twins), didn’t want to go to sleep the same time he did (6)… The list went on and on.

The most surprising result of being cooped up was that even 2, calm, kind 2, was edgy. He actually scolded 5 quite fiercely the day before for mixing up two sets of measurements for the maps they were drawing. The elder had apologized later in the day for getting angry, but 5 could hardly blame him. He felt like he barely had room to breathe.  
He had to feel sorry for 7, despite his own misery. She paced like a caged wildcat day and night, edgy and restless and more and more irritable with every passing day. She loved being outside and being locked up was not good for her. 5 offered comfort when he felt it would help her, but for the most part he just stayed out of his friend’s way. With the way 7 was obviously feeling, too much comfort would just make her angry.

So once again, 5 ended up alone in the little antechamber, paging boredly through the encyclopedia and wishing for a gadget to toy with. He had started at a random page in the big book but had gotten rather tired of reading and was now simply drifting through the pages, examining the pictures and occasionally reading a random article.   
He was halfway through the passage on King Edward the Confessor when he found his line of sight blocked by… a foot. An awkwardly oversized, wooden foot, to be precise. His eyes followed the foot up a striped leg, torso, and finally into a pair of mismatched optics. It was 6.

The small creature stood somewhat stooped, like a crane, staring 5 right in the face with a strange half-smile on his face.

“Hello!” he said, a bit loudly.

“Uhm, hello 6.” Said 5, suddenly nervous and full of the strange fluttery feeling he kept having lately. “What, uh, what are you up to?”

“I made you this thing.” Chirped 6, plunking down onto the open encyclopedia and opening the seam that ran along his left side. He reached into himself and pulled out a small star-shaped object. He thrust it at 5, who took it gingerly. It was definitely a star, apparently made from a long strip of folded paper. As he turned the gift over in his hands, 5 couldn’t resist a smile. It was really rather cleverly constructed, if a bit lopsided, and the smudges of ink that adorned it here and there made it very much… 6.

“Thanks, 6! I like it.” Said 5, unbuttoning himself and storing the star in his chest. 6 broke into a grin and ducked his head shyly. 5 laughed a ruffled his hair. “Where did you learn to make it?”

“Twins showed me.” Answered 6, twiddling his fingers. He scooted forward until he was practically in 5’s lap. “Wanted to ask you something.” He said matter of factly before scooting suddenly backwards and gripping his key nervously. 5 was feeling pretty edgy himself, his mechanical heart thrumming notably quicker than usual.

“I-I wanted to talk to you too…”

6 was very close again, sitting on the edge of the book with one foot and each side of 5. He was gripping his key very hard, his silver fingers scraping up against the cast iron. He kept meeting 5’s gaze only to glance away again.

“Wanted to ask you, or tell you that, I… Wanted to ask you… if you, I-I mean… Do you… like me?”

In that moment 6 looked so open and honest and hopeful that the fact that 6 would have to ask if 5 liked him nearly broke 5’s heart.

“Of course I like you, 6.” He said, chucking 6 in under the chin, “Why wouldn’t I?”

6 smiled gleefully and 5 reached out to take hold of 6’s hand. He didn’t get a chance, however, as 6 hurled himself at the older creature and caught him in a crushing hug. 5 was so surprised that he was knocked off balance by 6’s embrace and toppled over onto his back, taking 6 with him.

“You like me!” 6 hollered.

“Yes, I do. 6, you’re kind of squishing me.”

“I like you too.”

“6, I can’t breathe.”

“Huh? Oh! S-sorry!” 6 released his grip on 5’s middle but didn’t get off of him. Instead the two sat still for a few seconds. 5 felt his inner workings overheat very slightly. This position, 5 lying on his back with 6 sprawled on top of him, felt strangely familiar. 5 had never experienced anything like it before, but there was a sense of déjà vu about the sensation of the weight of someone else on his hips, or being pressed so close to the front of someone else. 6’s face was very close to 5’s, and if either moved too quickly their optics would click together. However, if one or both moved the right way, then…

“What are you doing?”

1 had found them.

In a flush of mutual bashfulness, 5 and 6 scrambled away from each other. 5 got shakily to his feet and picked at his finger joints, unable to look the leader in the optics. 6 stayed on the ground, cringing a little and wringing the shaft of his key frantically. 1 huffed and waved a steel hand as if to dismiss the oddities of the younger dolls. He tamped his staff of the floor and proceed to ignore 5, instead focusing all his attention on 6.

“6, come here. I want to speak with you about your drawings.”

6 only scooted away a little more and scraped his fingers on his key. 1 scowled.

“Here now, 6. Do as you are told.” He snapped. 6 clamored to his feet and reluctantly scurried over to 1. 1 straightened his ruby clasp and strode out of the room, clearing expecting 6 to follow. 6 glanced back at 5 sadly and then followed 1 obediently.

5 was intrigued and a little worried by 1’s sudden demand to see 6. Most of the time, the elder simply ignored the young doll, disregarding his rambling as nonsense. 5 chewed his lip for a few seconds before scrambling after 1 and 6.   
He followed them across the throne room and into 6’s nook. From across the room, the Twins and 2 watched curiously if not a bit apprehensively, and 7 scowled at how scared 6 seemed. 8, sharpening his new scissorblade, only gave a nasty smile.

5 and 6 walked with 1 all the way into the back of 6’s room, where the sketch of the Beast stood pale and stark and still terrifying in the gloom. 1 fixed 6 with a glare and rapped the picture with his staff.

“What is this?” he demanded.

6 mumbled something and stared at the floor.

“Speak up!” snapped 1.

“I-It’s a drawing” answered 6 in a quavering voice.

“I know it’s a drawing, you twit! I demand to know why you are drawing such disturbing subject matter.”

“I saw it in a dream!” 6 said pleadingly.

“’In a dream’.” Echoed 1 sarcastically. “This is an image of the Beast, which I will not have in my home. You weren’t even there when it attacked us, so how, pray tell, would you know what the abomination looked like?” The leader suddenly took notice of 5. “Did you tell him?”

“N-no, 1, I-“

“You know how hysterical this one gets, and yet you would worsen his condition by telling him stories of-“

“I didn’t tell him anything, 1!” cried 5 in supplication. “6 drew this weeks ago, honest!”

“How could he have drawn it weeks ago? We didn’t even know the Beast existed until a few days ago.”

“I-I don’t know…” 5 conceded. He knew 6 had drawn the Beast some time before the thing actually showed up, but he didn’t know how 6 had known about the Beast.

1 sneered at 5 and turned back to 6, who cowered up against the drawing and shivered when 1 struck the floor with his staff. 8 appeared in the curtained doorway, looking to 1 for orders. 1 considered the drawing for a moment, tapping his chin speculatively. Finally, he spoke to 8.

“8, take this” he indicated the drawing” And put it in the northern corner of the throne room. You-“ he turned back to 6 and glared down at the younger creature “Will stay in here until tomorrow. You are not well and mustn’t be over stimulated.” 1 turned back around and made to leave the room, but not before noticing 5, who had ducked down next to 6 to comfort him. “5, go to the Watchtower and stand lookout.”

“But it’s not my turn for another two hours.” Said 5, gathering 6 into his arms and rubbing his back in a rare display of defiance.

“Do as I say!” 1 snarled. “I’ve had just about enough of this childish nonsense. I won’t have you making 6 any more hysterical than he already is. If one of us is unwell then everyone’s safety is compromised. Go now, 5.”

5 opened his mouth, the word ‘No!’ laying silent on his lips, but the sight of 1’s stormy expression and 8, looming in the background silenced him. He gave 6 one last squeeze and then got up and walked timidly out of 6’s room.

 

Two days later found 5 in the Watchtower, scanning the Emptiness with the telescope. True to its name, the Emptiness was void of life. No humans (that was a given, no one had seen any human life since the war ended) and, thankfully, no sign of the Beast. Doubtless it was still out there somewhere, so 5 was always careful to look for any sign of the monster, just in case it came too near to the cathedral for comfort.

5 was not happy. He was busy and not bored, and being alone in the Watchtower gave him a rest from feeling so cooped up, but he was still not happy. 1 had effectively banned him from being alone with 6 along with banishing him to the Watchtower for most of the past two days. The early winter weather was rather mild, and 2 had brought up a candle and a thick wool blanket to keep 5 warm, but it was 6’s predicament rather than his own situation that was making him miserable. He felt… intensely for 6. It was like a feeling of protectiveness but… not exactly.

And, dammit, he still hadn’t asked 6 why he had kissed him! He was awfully tempted to leave his post and go ask 6 right then… but that just wasn’t his way. 1 had told him to go up into the Watchtower and stay there until sundown, and so he would stay rather than risk 1’s wrath.

5 sighed and took to examining the Northern end of the City, or as much of it as he could see. He fiddled with the old sextant and polished one of the auxiliary lenses with his elbow. The whole thing could do with a polish, really…

“Are you still up here?”

5 had been so absorbed in his work, he hadn’t heard 7 come up.

“Hi, 7.” 5 said with a smile. He could stand a little company.

“Why’s 1 being such an ass to you lately? This is supposed to be my watch, but 1 said you were doing everyone’s duty today.” she said, joining 5 over by the sextant.

“He’s just being his cranky self.” Mused 5 with a dismissive wave.

“Yeah, but I’s something else too, isn’t it?” 7 pressed, poking 5 in the shoulder. 5 sighed and hopped up onto the sextant’s platform.

“He thinks I’m making 6 crazy or something. That’s what he says, anyway. I think he’s just as stir-crazy as the rest of us and I’m, y’know, an easy target.” 5 confessed, picking at his finger joints.

“Don’t say stuff like that 5.” Urged 7, climbing up onto the platform next to him. 5 shrugged and 7 threw an arm around his shoulders. “Really, I think you’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for.”

5 laughed a little and smiled. The two friends sat in silence for a while, watching the sun begin its slow descent into the west. Finally 7 spoke again.

“Why does 1 think you’re making 6 crazier? The little guy seems pretty quiet to me.”

“Well…” 5 scratched his nape, trying to think of what to say. “You know that drawing of the Beast 6 made?”

“Yeah. It’s creepy. I like it.”

5 laughed again and continued “Well, 1 basically thinks I’ve been telling 6 scary stories. But… 6 drew that picture weeks ago! He said he saw it in a dream. He even told me that he was scared of a monster out there getting us.”

“I remember you told me that.” Murmured 7. “Huh. Well, stranger things have happened. I mean, just look at us!”

“Hehheh, yeah I guess.” Answered 5 softly. “That’s what bothers me, really. I don’t mind being up here by myself. It’s, y’know… peaceful.”

“Yeah.” Agreed 7, sighing contentedly. They looked out over the Emptiness, which was starting to glint and glow as the sun dipped ever lower and the sky began to show bright yellow and orange. The colors reminded 5 of 6… and the kiss. He still didn’t know!

“7?” 5 began, a tiny bit of nervousness rising in his chest.

“Hmm?” 7 hummed him response. She was leaning against 5’s side, her eyes half closed.

“Why do people kiss?”

7’s eyes shot open. “Why do people what?”

“Kiss. Why do they kiss?”

“Like… on the lips?”7 sneered a little bit, as if the thought of kissing made her a little nauseous.

“Uhm, y-yeah. I guess.” Mumbled 5, wringing his hands and staring at his lap. He felt so embarrassed and he didn’t know why!

“Well…” 7 tapped her lower lip. “Alright, don’t you dare laugh, but… me and 8 used to kiss. A little.”  
5 started in shock. “You and 8?”

“Yeah, we did. Before he turned into a big brute jerk, anyway.” 7 admitted with chagrin. “When we were still training together, sometimes when we were finished we would just hold hands and… and kiss. Just for fun.”

“Wow, you and 8.” Said 5 dazedly.

“Shut up.” Huffed 7, scowling and folding her arms.

“Uh, sorry. I mean- wait. Why?” 5 implored, stumbling over his words and circling his hands confusedly.

“It was fun!” explained 7 heatedly. “He’s gotten to be so awful I wouldn’t do it anymore even if he asked nicely, but   
at the time… I kind of liked him. Kissing 8 felt good.” She shrugged and spread her hands as if to say ‘Well, there it is.’

“Did you kiss him first?” 5 asked, honestly fascinated.

“Yeah, actually. We finished training one day and we had had just had a really good spar and… I kissed him. I just wanted to... oh hell, I don’t know…” She trailed off with a sheepish smile.

“…Be close to him?” 5 suggested quietly.

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Wow.”

“No kidding.”

There was silence again, both creatures to busy processing the awkwardness to talk.

“Why do you ask?” 7 queried.

“Okay, now you don’t laugh, but… 6 kissed me.” Said 5 in a near-whisper. 7 practically shrieked with delight.

“6 did what? Oh Maker, that’s precious!” she burst into happy laughter.

“Don’t laugh!” cried 5, his face growing very hot.

“I’m… I’m… sorry!” said 7 through her giggles. “I’m not laughing at you, I… I just think that that’s really cute. 6 likes you, 5! I mean, he must really like you!” she finished with a saucy wink.

“You think so?” asked 5 nervously.

“Well, sure! 6 plays with the twins, but he never kisses them. Did you kiss him back?” she crowed.

“No, not really.” Muttered 5.

“Why not? Don’t you want to?” asked 7, genuinely curious.

“I… I think so.” 5 went silent, thinking hard about it for the first time. Did he want to kiss 6? “I… Yes, I do.”

“Weeellll, what are you waiting for?” cried 7, smiling. 5 laughed and hugged himself. The fluttery feeling was back full force. Yes, he wanted to kiss 6 back.

It was nice not to be completely baffled about kissing for once.

 

Carefully, 5 tiptoed through the darkened Clocktower, glancing warily over at 8, who was slumped up against 1’s bedroom door, asleep. He stepped delicately over 2 and skirted the Twins, who slept in a clump, curled up against 7’s side. As he passed, 7 cracked open an optic and gave him the thumbs up. He waved shyly at her and snuck silently in 6’s nook.   
It was almost totally dark, the only light coming from faint moonlight streaming in through the glass clockface.

Working from memory alone, 5 felt his way over to 6’s pallet and knelt next to it. He could just barely see 6 curled up, sound asleep. He reached out and took 6’s hand and pulled gently.

“6. 6!” he whispered. “Wake up.”

“Mmmmwhuh?” 6 groaned and rolled over. He stretched, pulling his hand out of 5’s loose grip as he did so. “Somethin’ th’ matter?”

“No, nothing’s wrong, I just need to talk to you.” said 5.

“Was sleeping.” Whined 6, pulling his tatty blue blanket up over his head so only his yarn tuft showed. 5 pulled the blanket back down and was greeted by a sleepy glare.

“Please, 6? It’s important.” 5 implored. 6 cocked an eyebrow but sat up, rubbing an optic against the fabric of his inner arm.

“Okay.” He muttered.

“6, remember when… when you kissed me?” 5 asked softly, taking 6’s hand between his own, being careful of the sharp tips of his fingers.

Contrary to the drowsiness he had displayed before, 6 stiffened suddenly and dropped his gaze.

“I’m sorry if you didn’t want it. I-I-I didn’t mean to… No, I meant to… Thought you died then and was scared-“

“6, it’s okay.” 5 interrupted. 6 looked at him with his big sad eyes and 5 felt something in him melt.

“I… It confused me then, but… I would like to try it again.” 6’s optics went very wide and 5 amended himself quickly

“If you want to, I mean. ‘Cause if you don’t that’s fine.”

6 rocked a little bit and chewed his lower lip. He seemed to make a choice after a few seconds and smiled shyly. “Yes. Okay.”

5 grinned hugely and let out a soft, nervous laugh. He twined his fingers with 6’s and considered for a moment. “How… How do we want to do this?”

6 giggled hesitantly and turned himself around so he was sitting spread-legged on his pallet, leaving 5 situated between his ankles.

“Uhmm, hehheh. Okay.” Dithered 5. The both leaned forward at the same time, bringing their optics together with a sharp ‘clank!’

“Owww…” groaned 6, shaking his head as if to clear it. “Too fast.”

“Yeah. Slower this time?” offered 5, glad that it was so dark and 6 couldn’t see hoe embarrassed he was.

“Yes, more like…” 6 moved forward again, slowly and 5 let the younger creature come to him.

The first kiss felt… awkward. 6 seemed so shy and 5 only barely knew what he was doing. The two sat for about three seconds with their lips pressed together, not moving. When they pulled back, 5 frowned.

“That’s not right. Here, can I…?” he held up his hands and 6 gave an almost imperceptible nod. 5 placed his hand on either side of 6’s face and moved closer. 6 tried to kiss 5 on the mouth again, but 5 moved to the side and pressed his lips to 6’s cheek. Then he pulled back slightly and brushed his mouth oh so lightly against 6’s. Abruptly, 6 wrapped his thin arms around 5’s middle and pulled himself into his lap, pressing his lips fully onto 5.

This is different, thought 5 dazedly and 6 stroked at his back and slowly moved his lips. 5 mirrored the movement and 6 made a happy little moue. 5 slid his hand gently down onto 6’s shoulders and slowly pulled back from the kiss. 6 leaned forward, trying to recapture 5’s mouth with his own, but 5 only smiled and leaned down to kiss the spot where 6’s neck connected to his head. 6 giggled breathlessly but then sighed as 5 mouthed at the soft, bound cloth there. He pulled back after a couple of seconds and smiled. 6 smiled back mischievously and bent forward and actually nipped 5’s neck. 5 let out a startled yelp that morphed very quickly into a soft moan as 6 kissed his neck. It felt ticklish, but not in a way that made 5 want to laugh or pull away. It felt tingly and good and his breath caught slightly when 6 trailed his soft lips down the rougher fabric of 5’s shoulder.

“Oh… I… Oh.” Half-formed words spilled out from 5’s lips, driven by the vague, bubbly thoughts that swam around in his head. This felt good. This felt really, really good. 6 into 5’s shoulder and made happy sounds in the back of his throat. They were pressed chest-to-chest now, with 6’s all the way onto 5’s lap with his legs wrapped unconsciously around 5’s middle. 5 squeezed 6 and kissed him on the cheek and neck, prompting odd little shivers to skid down 6’s back.

There was an almost imperceptible shift then in which everything remained the same but with a very slightly different mood. 5 felt hot all over and… twitchy, but not in an unpleasant way. There was the strangest seizing feeling in his inner parts. 6 was looking at him oddly, curious and fearful and fascinated. One pen nib finger snaked out to dip very lightly behind 5’s top button and into the buttonhole.

“Ah!” 5 yelped. The same ticklish feeling from before sizzled through all the 5’s stitches and fibers. He flinched and gripped 6 tighter.

“Sorry, sorry! Bad idea! Won’t do it again!” said 6 hastily, pulling his hands away very fast and tucking them behind his back. “Sorry, s-sorry, got ahead of myself, sorry. That was bad-“

“Shh, 6, it’s okay.” 5 said through heavily breaths, feeling as if he had just run a mile. “I… liked that. It was just a little… unexpected.”

“Really?” 6 asked, a relieved smile brightening his frightened eyes.

“Really.” Murmured 5, feeling rather devious as he used 6’s momentary distraction to run a fingertip along his left side seam. 6 seemed to melt in his arms and squirmed a little as 5 repeated the action.

“Oh wow…” the artist whispered, optics sliding shut.

“Does that feel good?” inquired 5 against 6’s neck.

“Uh-huh…”

5 couldn’t resist a laugh at 6’s dazed expression, but the laugh was choked off when 6 wriggled a finger behind 5’s top button again and stroked the sensitive stitching there.

“Ooh…” he gasped, his head falling back of its own accord. 6 smiled wickedly and continued the motion, leaving 5 and panting, whimpering mess. 5 in turn retaliated by tickling 6’s seams along his sides and back, and soon both of them were of no use to anyone, clinging to each other and lost in the strange, new sensations flooding their systems.  
5 woke up feeling floaty and pleasantly groggy very early the next morning. For a moment he wasn’t entirely sure where he was, but then 6 shifted in his sleep next to him and 5 remembered everything.

“What are we doing?” he asked himself, not sure if he actually cared so long as they could do it again.  
As soon as possible.


End file.
